RIGHT TO READ: ACCESS TO READING FOR PEOPLE WITH READING DISABILITIES

Early day motion 359, tabled 7 January 2004 by David Heath (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 149 members.

That this House welcomes the creation of the Right to Read Alliance, made up of 15 organisations including RNIB, the National Library for the Blind and Calibre; agrees that people with reading disabilities should have the right to read the same book, at the same time, and at the same price as everyone else; expresses concern that each year 95 per cent. of books, magazines and newspapers are not produced in formats such as large print, audio and braille which are accessible to people with a visual impairment, dyslexia or other reading disability; recognises that this leads to the exclusion of almost three million people from the educational, information and leisure opportunities reading provides; supports the Alliance's calls for the Government to establish an access to reading fund to increase the production of not-for-profit transcription agencies; and recognises the need to increase co-ordination between schools producing accessible information so that all children and students with reading disabilities can access the materials they need to undertake their studies successfully.

Signatures by party: Labour 75, Liberal Democrat 34, Conservative 13, Labour/Co-operative 7, DUP 6, Scottish National Party 4, Plaid Cymru 3, UUP 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Independent Conservative 1, Independent Ulster Unionist 1.